


Need You, Hate Me

by acindra



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz
Genre: Fluff, Light Angst, M/M, lots of fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-28
Updated: 2017-08-28
Packaged: 2018-12-20 21:09:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11929320
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/acindra/pseuds/acindra
Summary: “Like, y’know, nya.”(Jeremy and Michael take a walk downtown)





	Need You, Hate Me

 

Jeremy glanced at Michael and tried to fight down the blush that came from seeing him nowadays.

If Michael asked about it, he would blame it on the windchill.

It was winter break and they were downtown, technically window shopping for the upcoming holidays.

Jeremy had the feeling that Michael had finally had enough of Jeremy’s fidgeting after being sequestered in his room for a few days, though.

He had turned off the television in the middle of the twelfth consecutive episode of How It’s Made and thrown a jacket at Jeremy, announcing that they were going out.

Jeremy couldn’t blame him; the cold air was refreshing and being able to stretch his legs a bit made him feel less stifled. He rolled his wrists in his jacket and wiggled his fingers to warm them up a little- he hadn’t thought it was cold enough to warrant gloves when they were leaving. He glanced at Michael again, warmed slightly by how enthusiastic and lively his best friend seemed now that they were in the light of day instead of being bathed by the tv’s light.

It took him a second to realize Michael was talking- had probably been talking for a while- to him and was now looking at him expectantly.

“Sorry?”

Michael shrugged. “Like, y’know, nya.”

Jeremy blinked. “What?”

“Nya~!” Michael repeated, bringing up his hand to do a little cat paw imitation.

Jeremy immediately imagined Michael with twitching cat ears and whiskers and the little voice in the back of his head told him he was blushing too hard to be able to blame it on the wind now. He was so distracted, he didn’t notice the lamp post until he had already run smack into it and stumbled, falling flat on his ass.

Michael put his hands on his hips. “Jeremy, you useless furry.” He told him, shaking his head disdainfully.

“Ow.” Jeremy replied, rubbing his face.

Michael grabbed him by the upper arm and hauled him back up. “Don’t you just hate when inanimate objects attack you?” He asked.

“Ha ha, fuck you.” Jeremy grumbled.

“I mean I’ll testify in court if you need me to, I saw the whole thing.”

“Can we not and say we didn’t?”

“Aw but I wanted to see how they’d bring a lamppost into court.”

Jeremy sighed. “Now my ass is cold, too.” He mourned.

“Well, if you’re cold we could get something warm to drink. I heard there’s a new coffee shop somewhere around here.” Michael looked around, only for them both to realize they were actually standing in front of it. “That’s convenient.” he remarked.

Jeremy nodded. He was reading the sign on the cafe window before he realized that there were three girls seated on stools just behind it and they were all looking at him,pointing and laughing. His heart sank into his stomach. “Michael.” He grabbed Michael’s arm as he moved towards the door. “I can’t go in there!”

Michael turned around, concerned. “What? Why?”

Jeremy scooted unsubtly so Michael’s body was blocking him from the girls’ view. “They’re laughing at me. What if they make fun of me? I can’t-”

Michael turned his head to look at the window.

“No! Don’t look!” Jeremy stopped him, frantically. “Then they’ll know!”

Michael froze and turned back to him. “It’s okay, Jeremy. Calm down. I won’t let the big bad people hurt you. Or make fun of you.”

“Why do I not believe you?” Jeremy frowned.

Michael’s smile dropped as he looked at him earnestly. “I mean it. If you don’t want to go in, that’s ok. Come on let’s keep walking.” He nodded his head down the street and they started walking again, Michael blocking him from the window as they walked past.

“Thanks.” Jeremy muttered, looking down at his feet and feeling guilty.

“Hey, it’s no problem!” Michael reassured him. “But you’re still cold aren’t you?”

“Yeah. It’s mostly just my hands and face, though.”

“Hmm.” Michael tugged off the glove on the hand closest to Jeremy.

“Give me your other hand.” Michael said, pointing.

“What?” Jeremy automatically brought up his hand and Michael deftly pulled the glove onto it.

He offered his bare hand to him.

Jeremy looked at it, confused.

“Give me your hand.” Michael prompted, after a second, reaching out to grab it.

Jeremy sputtered a bit as he realized Michael’s intent was to hold his hand. “Isn’t this a little…”

“What?” Michael asked, gripping tightly when Jeremy tried to pull away.

“Y’know…” he looked around furtively. “Gay?”

“Yep.”

“What?”

“I’ve uh… I’ve been meaning to tell you about that, actually.” Michael stared determinedly into middlespace. “I’m... Yeah. I’m gay.”

Jeremy stopped walking, which had Michael tripping after a second because he hadn’t noticed. His mouth was hanging open, shocked.

Michael turned to him reluctantly. “Um. It would be good if you’d like… say something? Or maybe close your mouth before you catch a fly.”

Jeremy’s thoughts were awhirl. “How do you know?” he blurted out. He blinked; that wasn’t what he had meant to say.

“I think? No- I know… I have a crush on a boy.” Michael admitted.

“Could you be bi, then?”

Michael thought about it for a second before shaking his head. “I doubt it. I’ve never really liked any girls? I mean like-like. Girls are cool. I just don’t want to… I don’t know. Kiss them?” He shrugged. “Are we cool?”

“Yeah!” Jeremy said, a little louder than he had intended, causing the few people down the way to turn and stare at them. “Yeah, of course.” He told him, squeezing his hand. “I’m just. Surprised. I guess I shouldn’t be, though. You’ve never really talked about liking any girls.”

“Yeah…” They started walking again. “But anyways, if you want, I could heat up your face with my face.”

It took Jeremy a second to get what he was saying. “What? I- you- UM- but what about your crush?”

Michael shrugged again. “I mean we’re high schoolers in New Jersey. What are the chances he’s also gay _and_ likes me?” He side-eyed Jeremy. “Besides. What if my crush is on _you_?”

Jeremy looked down at their clasped hands. He laughed, self deprecating. “I doubt it. Who would have a crush on _me_?”

“Why _wouldn’t_ I have a crush on you?” Michael asked, eyebrows furrowed. “You’re really kind, and dorky, and cute! Plus you have great taste in music and video games!”

Jeremy shook his head. “Everything about me is just terrible. Everything about me makes me wanna die.” He muttered, mostly to himself.

“Hey!” Michael said loudly, stopping again so he could whirl Jeremy around to face him. “ _No_ ” He told him, angrily. “Why the fuck would you say that about yourself?”

Jeremy shook his head. “The SQUIP said-”

“Of course he did! It was manipulating you!”

“I know. But....But what if it was right?”

“It wasn’t. Listen to me.” He tilted Jeremy’s face up so he could look him in the eye. “You are a human being. You are imperfect, and a little strange, and a lot clumsy, but you know what? All of those little imperfections you hate about yourself? They make you perfect. And I love each and every one of them. Because they make you who you are. And I love who you are.”

“Even the acne?” Jeremy tried to joke, uncomfortable with how Michael’s declaration made him feel.

“Especially the acne.” Michael told him, seriously.

“You’re just saying that because you want to play connect the dots with them.”

“And why is that a bad thing? Just because the reason I love them is silly doesn’t mean I love them any less.” Michael shook his head. “I love everything about you. Like the way your voice cracks when you get anxious, or how you’re super humble about your achievements even though you should really own them because you’re amazing, or how you fidget and fray your sweater sleeves.”

“I-”

“Shut up I’m not done.” Michael interrupted. “I love your stupidly long antler legs, and the way your hair curls around your ears, and how you’re really bad at math. I love how you put ketchup all over your fries like a heathen, and your nose is adorable, and how you sing under your breath when you’re not paying attention. I love the way you stick your tongue out the side of your mouth when you’re concentrating really hard on a video game, and the way you use way too many emojis in your texts, and that you collect pennies like some weird kind of bronze hoarding dragon.” He paused. “Is any of this getting through to you?”

“Y-yeah.” Jeremy nodded.

“Good. Because I could go on about you all day, but I don’t want you to freeze to death. Do you want to head back to the car?”

Jeremy nodded and they started walking the way they came. He was silent as he thought very hard about what Michael had said.

As they approached the parking lot he finally found his voice.

“Hey, Michael?” He asked, before he could convince himself it was a bad idea. “ _Is_ your crush on me?”

Michael tilted his head at him. “Maybe. What do you think?” He asked, before letting go of Jeremy’s hand and going over to the driver’s side of the car.

Jeremy looked down at his hand, rapidly cooling in the cold air.

What _did_ he think?

**Author's Note:**

> If you like this fic, please check out the other 30 BMC fics I've written! 
> 
> [ Gif by Ryan ](http://dryangon.tumblr.com/post/163971740461/nya)
> 
> [ Art by Heart-Select ](http://heart-select.tumblr.com/post/164749738737/like-yknow-nya-acindra)   
>  [ Art by Heart-Select ](http://heart-select.tumblr.com/post/164821508397/dont-you-just-hate-when-inanimate-objects-attack)
> 
>  
> 
> Feel free to hit me up on tumblr ([ acindra ](http://acindra.tumblr.com))- I also made a crocheted doll of [ Michael! ](http://acindra.tumblr.com/post/161391774925)
> 
>  
> 
> [ Bonus George Salazar and Michael!Doll pic ](https://twitter.com/georgesalazar/status/880209460962185216)


End file.
